Hinge device



Patented Oct. 19, 1943 `Jackson M. Luker, Urbana, y i Application December 15, 1942-, serial-N'.- 4s9,11o I olainis. (o1. 2st- 99) This is a continuation in part of mycopending patent application ASerialNumber- 338,749,5iiledV a hinge device for auto seats-studio couches and the like, wherein the rear cushions may be disposedat substantial right angles to and in the plane of the seat cushions.

Another vobject of the present invention is to provide a sturdy, yet inexpensivev hinge device which maybe simply and easily attached to the standard front seat hinge mechanism of an auto-y mobile whereby the rear cushion may be loweredrearwardly of and into the plane ofits respec l tive seat cushion for providing' a bed.

Another object of the present invention..` is to provide a hinge device having the hereinabovev described characteristics whichwill permit the adjacent edges of a rearwardly lowered rear cushion and its seat cushion to be in abutment whereby the resultant bed is coplanar and-continuous.

A further object of the invention is to provide` a hinge device which is particularly adapted for studio couch use in providing a frame structure .for supporting the rear cushions and their re-z spective springs in an uprightl position relative to the seat' cushions,.and which will permit'the frame structure to be swung rearwardly of and into the vplane of the seat cushions for providing a level double bed.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel hinge device which is structurally simple, sturdy and adapted to be manufactured in great quantitiesas well as being fool-v proof and dependable in operation.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing', in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a studio couch with the rear cushion in its normal up-fl right .position rfor providing a back rest for the seat portion of the couch.

Fig. 2 is a view similar toFig, 1 showing the rear cushi'on'in an open, lowered, or fully eX-.

tended position.

` tion of the hinge Fig'. 3 is an'v enlarged rear view, lpartly' in sec-4 structure- 3of `the studio -couch ofl'ig-L` Y Fig; 4i's a sidev-iew, partly in section, 'ofi the hinge structureof Fig.A SI2-'showing the hinge inra broken condition. l .Y z

Fig. 5.is a side viwiof a modified formaof linkage VsleeveV comprising aA detail of :thef'pres'ent invention, f "1 s With reference "to Fig. 3,.the numeral IUrep-g` resents a linkage 'member which'f'is ,adaptedy to; be selectively maintained yin ".one'ortheotherf of two normal positions, rviz`.'; inv the` upright :po-

sition disclosed in Fig. 43', 'oriin the floweredfpo-.r

sition'disclesed in.1 Eig. li` The` upper .prtio'nfo'fi linkage member VII)v may comprise'the siderail yof a rack, 4kor otherstructure, orf-it n'fiayxcomprise the leg of a U-shaped rear cushionzsupporting member of a'studio couch. 1.Thelower portion ofv linkage member: I0 mayI-'terminate in aball member I I which is rigidly secured to,` but spaced` from, the lower edge I2'of the, linkage member by meansV of shank.|`3. Ball I'Iis adapted to slid-'- ably engage verticalchannelwayjld whichisfprov vided in a standard I5, which standard may come.y prise a length of'hollow tubularf stock having an; outside diameter .substantially equal to'thefout'-j side diameter of. linkage memberv I0.. A-vertical open-topped, closed-bottomed slot I6 may .be.pr: .l vided in standardi, the 'width of said slot' as denoted by the letter X,'.being of "ai dimension slightly' greater than vthe width of shank.;.I:3;

whereby said shankmay'.' freely slide Lrelative to; said slot.

way I4. f 1

"A sleeve 2t is adapted to'slidably ,engagetheouter surfaceof 'linkage memberV ,I0 and stemd-V ard I5, said sleeve; adapted-to',maintainxlinkage member III in axialalignmentfwith standard I5, when the sleeve is disposedinthe position illustrated inxFig. 3.51,If desired, .a stop` memlcierqZIA may be secured tofand `carriedsby the outer; face` of standard I5 for limitingfthe downwarditravel of sleeve'20're1ative tothe standard. z

4In yorder to lower the-linkage member relative. torthe. standard,l sleeve 20 may .beslid upwardly onto and along linkage member I0 by an amount suiiicient to expose .thejointformed bythe abut-f ting adjacent ends I2 and 22 of the linkage member I0 and standard I5, respectively. ...'Bythus raising sleeveiZU from engagement withstandard I5 the upper end of slot I6 will be exposedthere- Pins, denoted generally by. thenu'ineral.l 'l0 may be provided' adjacent the upper open end, ofstandard I5 for precluding .accidentaltor `un; intentional.. withdrawal of ball.I.I from channel-j by permitting linkage member I to be swung relative to standard I5 for locating shank I3 in slot I6. The linkage member I0 may then be lowered horizontally until face 23 of shank I3 engages and comes to rest upon bottom 24 of slot I6, as disclosed in Fig. 4.

In some instances it may be desirable to proyvide a spring, denoted generally by the numeral 30, interiorly of standard I5 and between a bottom plate l;II and ballqII, for lprecluding the rapid droppingof ball II within standard Iiiincident to lowering of linkage member IIl. Spring will likewise facilitate lifting of the end of.

linkage member toward the top of standard I5 when it is desirable to return the linkage rember to the upright position disclosedin Fig. 3.

It should be understood that whereas but one linkage structure has been disclosed, that each f members are disposed in an upstanding position (Fig. 3) the interconnecting rods will comprise a -lateral vertical partition member.

Said lateral i. ,partition vmay be quickly and expeditiously low- In those instances where the hereinabve'de y scribed linkage structure isas'sociate'cVwithela "eredtopermit access to the goods disposed therelTbehirrdand'ifdesired, to provide a serving tray studio couch, an auxiliary leg or support member 40 may be pivotally secured to and car'ziedby'-;

linkage member :I Il for movement Y from an inoperative position'disclosedfinFig. 14 to the 'operative position disclosed in Fig. 2. It should L'ble observedthat the presence of' legwor bracket1f40 does not aiect the'operating characteristics lof the instant linkage structure.

-In those instances where the present linkage structure is utilized for providing'ahingevconneetion between the back cushion and seateushion ofV an automobile, sleeve 20fmay/beprovided'with an actuating arm= pivotally mounted to theupper? end `thereof by pivot pin 5I. Actuator arm 50 willzn'orma-llyV be disposedy in the Apositionindicated-by the solid lines in Fig. 5 -wherein its-longitudinal axis isy in axial alignmentwitn-sleeve 20; Actuatorarm 50 may bev swung' upwardly aboutpivot 5I tothe fully raised position-indicated bythe dotted'lines of Fig. 5, in Iwhich ,position itiforms av handle'whi'chmay be-gras'ped'f-,by--an operator: for .sliding the sleeve 20 upwardlyfonto.

`in a lowered position, will be maintained inclose proximity to 'the outer face of -standard Ithat is, withinfone-fourthv of" an inch thereoffwher'efore the ybottom Vedge f of whatever cushions =may' be lcarried-byfiinkage. member I0 willzfbe' disposed-in substantial contactl with the'rea'rfface of its associated seat cushion. By controllingV the location of'bottom24 of slot I6 theseat-'back maybe disposed in the planeof the seatfbottom; forproviding a `flat supporting surface.

In operation itfwill` be observedl that 'thef-back restv may be disposed -inzan upstanding pesition Yat approximately right angles relative to'the seat cushion 6I, orit may be moved toA a'fpos'itiorir alongside 'of 'and'VK level with said seat. fWhen sleeve 20 has been-lifted'byan amount suieient to' permit relative' motionfbetweenl linkage" member I0 and v,standard I5, the back'rest'maybe moved aboutv the pivot formed by the interaction:l between ball II and lchannelway IIlf-of the-standard for locating "shank I 3': within-slot '|635 Iaiter which Vthe back rest. may be vertically 'lowered relative to standardiste thepositionoisciesei in Figs. y'2and"l; y

therefor, when lowered to the position as disclose'd in Fig. 4.

.lromfthefforegoing it is-apparent that-Iha've provided af fcompactystructurally sim-ple hinge .device which may be so-ld as standard fequipment, o1"-fwhich` maybe later attached-=asnaznfaccessory to seat structures such as found in automobiles, studiol couches,l andthe like.

-`It should be understood; that various changes and modifications. in '.thestructuralhdetailsmf thefdevice` may` be made Awithinwtlfie scope ofi the appendedelaims, 'without departing from y.the spirit -of vthe invention; Y

What is claimed is: f i

l. fA- Yhinge device comprising` fin': combination, a -hollow vtubulaiwstandard, ,-a closed-bottomed open-#topped` slot, provided Iinffsaid standard;l ,and in fopen 'communication with the 'inta-rior thereof, a linkage member terminatinginea-forwardly projecting l shanky dimensionedftoslidably engage the slot -ofr'said-standard a fballnsecured t0 ,and spaced froml the endet said. vlinkagelmernber'.by means of said shank;V saidball dimensionedto slidably engager the-interior off said-standardaa sleeve; diin'ensionedftor slidably @engage-.the .fouter surfaces of the 'standard andulinkage; member,

1 said'sleeve adapted'to simultanemislyengage saidstandard and flinkage l member or a maintaining them l'in axiall alignment, said sleeve adalited toa-be disposed 'entirely'on saidzlinkage member for exposing the slot iin='said standard for :recep-V tion of= saidi fsliank and for." providing; a pivntal connection between said linkage memberfaand standardtwherebyfsaid linkage memberisi adapted .Ito'z be ,lowered 'to av position: at'isubstarxtial 'right anglesyl` 'with-'rsaid ystandard andi then: be' flowered relative .thereto r until:v ls aid-'shank 2 'abutsr onl the cfsaid-standard, balllsecur'editoiandxzarried'by Said sliank; said b'all"dimensionddzoiislidably engage the interior of saidfstandardyand;a'sleeve dimensioned .to 's'lidably engage isaidlinkage member'and standards fsa'id fsleeve ladapted;to

- '75j simultaneously engage said linkagem'emberand standard for precluding relative motion therebetween and for maintaining them in axial alignment, said sleeve likewise being adapted to be disposed entirely on said linkage member for providing a pivotal connection between and about which said linkage member may be moved to a position alongside of said standard,

3. A hinge device including a standard and a linkage member pivotally secured thereto and adapted to be disposed in one or the other of two normal positions relative to said standard, the one in axial alignment therewith, the other at substantial right angles therewith, said standard comprising a hollow tubular member havingr an upper open end, an open-topped closed-bottomed 'slot provided in rsaid standard and in open communication with the interior thereof, said linkage member comprising a tubular member one end of which terminates in'a forwardly projecting shank dimensioned to slidably engage the slot of said standard, a spherical head secured to and carried by said shank, said head dimensioned to slidably engage the interior of said standard, a sleeve dimensioned to slidably engage the outer surface of said standard and linkage member, said sleeve adapted to simultaneously engage said linkage member and standard for maintaining them in axial alignment, said sleeve being adapted to be disposed entirely on said linkage member for exposing the slot or" said standard to the shank of the linkage member for providing a pivotal connection about said head, said shank adapted to be lowered relative to said slot until it rests upon the bottom thereof, a sleeve actuating arm pivotally secured to said sleeve and movable from an inoperative position in parallelism ywith said sleeve to an operative position at substantial right angles thereto, stop means carried by said sleeve for determining the operative position of said arm, said arm adapted toiengage a supporting surface for supporting that portion of the linkage member remote from the shank when the linkage member is in a lowered position at substantial right angles With said standard.

4. A-hinge device comprising in combination, a hollow tubular standard including an open upper end and a closed bottom end, a closed-bottomed open-topped slot provided in said standard and in open communication with the interior thereof, a linkage member adapted to be disposed in one of two normal positions relative to said standard, one in axial alignment with said standard, the other at substantial right angles to the longitudinal axis of said standard, a shank projecting from an end of said linkage member, a spherical head secured to and carried by said shank, said shank adapted to slidably engage the slot of said standard, said spherical head dimensioned to slidably engage the interior of said standard, a sleeve dimensioned to slidably engage the outer surface of said standard and linkage member, said sleeve adapted to simultaneously engage adjacent portions of said standard and linkage member for maintaining said linkage member in axial alignment with said standard, said sleeve adapted to be disposed entirely upon the linkage member for exposing the slot of said standard for reception of the shank of said linkage member to provide a pivotal connection between the spherical head carried by the `linkage member in cooperation with the interior of said standard, said linkage member adapted to be swung downwardly about said pivotalconnection to a position at substantial right angles with said standard, after which said linkage member may be vertically lowered relative to the standard until said shank abuts the bottom of said slot, resilient means disposed between the bottom of said standard and said spherical head for normally urging said head upwardly toward the open top of the standard, and means disposed adjacent the upper open end of the standard for precluding withdrawal of said spherical head from engagement with the vinterior of said standard.

5. A hinge device comprising in combination, a hollow tubular standard, a closed-bottomed open-topped slot provided in vsaid standard and in open communication with the interior thereof, a linkage member terminating in a forwardly projecting shank dimensioned to slidably engage the slot of said standard, a ball secured to and spaced from the end of said linkage member by meansof said shank, said ball diniensioned to slidably engage the interior of said standard, a sleeve dimensioned to slidably engage the outer surfaces of the standard and linkage member, said sleeve adapted to simultaneously engage said standard and linkage member for maintaining them in axial alignment, said sleeve adapted to be disposed entirely on said linkage member for exposing the slot in said standard for reception ofsaid shank and for providing a pivotal connection between said linkage member and standard whereby said linkage member ris adapted to be lowered to a position at substantial right angles with said standard and then be lowered relative thereto until said shank abuts on the bottom of ysaid slot, and stop means carried by said standard and engageable by said age member. Y JACKSON M. LUKER. 

